NCASANDSCHOLARBALLERRECOGNIZEGEOFFNAVARRO

January31,2012MonmouthSportsInformation

ORLANDO,Fla.‐TheScholar‐Ballerprogram,inconjunctionwiththeNationalConsortiumforAcademicsandSports(NCAS),haslistedMonmouthUniversitytrackandfieldstandoutGeoffNavarro(MaysLanding,N.J./Absegami)toits2011ThirdTeamAcademicMomentumTeam.Honorswererewardedtostudent‐athletesbasedonacademicimprovementandtheimpacteachstudent‐athlete'sacademicperformancetheyhadonhisorherclassmates,teammates,academicadvisors,andprofessors.Theorganization,whichhonored49student‐athletes,received89nominationsfrom55differencecollegesanduniversities."Thishonormeansalottome,"saidNavarro."Itmeansthatpeopleherein[Monmouth]athleticsactuallythoughtofmeinahighregardastheyputmeupforthisaward.Iaminprettyelitecompanywiththeotherstudent‐athletesthatwerehonored.Italsoshowstheothersideof'student‐athlete'whichIdon'tthinkmanypeopletakeintoconsideration;wearestudentsbeforeweareathletes.ThisisalistofpeoplewhoarereallygoodathletesthatarealsoimprovingthemselvesintheclassroomandI'mhappytobeapartofit."TheNCAS,establishedin1985,isanever‐growingorganizationofcollegesanduniversitiesthatprovidesopportunitiesforcurrentandformerstudent‐athletestocontinuetheirpursuitofhighereducation,whileworkinginthecommunitywithchildrentoaddresssocialissues.TheScholarBallermovement,createdin1995,evolvedinresponsetoconcernsthatthestudent‐athlete'sathleticroleincreasinglysupersededthestudentrole.Inordertoaddressthisissue,thefoundingmembersofScholarBallerdevelopedagroundbreakingprogramtobridgethegapbetweeneducationandsportutilizingstudent‐athletes'passionforentertainmentandathletics.Lastseason,NavarrowasthesecondleadingscorerattheNortheastConferenceIndoorChampionships,takingsecondplaceinboththe60meterdashand200

meterdash.AttheNECOutdoorChampionships,whichMUhostedatKesslerField,NavarroguidedtheHawkstotheirthirdstraightteamtitle,takingsecondinthe100and200andanchoringthewinning4x100relay.Navarro,whohasgraduatedafterthreeandhalfyearswithadegreeinhealthstudiesandisnowworkingtowardshismastersincriminaljustice,qualifiedfortheIC4AChampionshipsintwoeventsthusfarthiswinter.AtArmy'sSix‐TeamMeet,theteamcaptainran7.04inthe60meterhurdlesand22.18inthe200toearnatriptoBostonforthechampionshipsinMarch."WeareveryproudofGeoffandthesuccesshehashadbothacademicallyandathletically,"saidheadcoachJoeCompagni."ThefirstyearcanbeabigadjustmentforourfreshmenanditisalwaysgreattoseesomeonelikeGeoffcometocollege,workthoughthechallengestomakethattransition,andthendevelopintooneofourteamleaders.Geoffisagreatexamplefortherestofourteam."Navarroadded,"CoachCompagniandCoach[Brian]Hirshblondhavebeenareallybighelptome.MyfreshmanyearIgotintoareallybadcaraccidentandIstruggledwithgoingtodoctorsandbeinganathlete.WhenwecamebackafterintersessioninJanuary,CoachJoesetmeupwithTinaSevastakis[AssistantAthleticDirectorforStudentDevelopment]andutilizingstudyhall.Iattributegoingtoclassandreadingasabigthingsthathelpedme[improvemyGPA],whichIdon'tthinkalotofourstudent‐athletesrealizeshowimportanttheyare.""Afterwinterbreak,IregainedafocusandIdecidedthatIdidn'tspendfiveyearsjusttogetmybachelors,"continuedNavarro."Iendeduptakingsummerclasses,startedgettinggoodgradesandthenIwantedtobeinschool.Iwantedtodomorethanjustgettingmybachelorswhichledtometomymastersprogram,whichisreallyinterestingandIenjoy."EachawardrecipientreceivedarecognitioncertificateandauthenticScholarBallermedal.